President Donald Trump and Nigerian leader describe killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as 'example of effective collaboration' in counterterrorism fightShow Caption
WASHINGTON - Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second in command of the Islamic State globally, was killed in a joint operation by U.S. and Nigerian forces along with other leaders of the terror group, President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said.Trump announced the strike, which occurred in the northeast part of Nigeria, in a late May 15 post on his Truth Social platform."Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield," Trump said. Al-Minuki "thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing."Hours later, the Nigerian leader described the military operation in an X post as "a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism ... that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State."Early assessments confirmed that the wanted Islamic State senior leader, also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria, Tinubu said.Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also confirmed the strike, saying the U.S. was making good on Trump's November 2025 promise to help protect Christians in Nigeria. "So, for months, we hunted this top ISIS leader in Nigeria who was killing Christians, and we killed him—and his entire posse," Hegseth said in an X post. Al-Minuki was the senior ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Emir, "the number two for ISIS globally," responsible for overseeing the planning of attacks, directing hostage-taking and managing financial operations, Hegseth said. "The removal of him and other ISIS personnel makes Americans safer by further degrading ISIS’s ability to plan and carry out attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, American citizens, and innocent civilians."
